Tuesday 31 January 2012

Phrasal Verb - come across

  1. While I was cleaning I came across a large wad of cash in your pocket.  Can you explain?
  2. He is the most obnoxious man I have ever come across.
  3. Whose keys are these?  I came across them in the bathroom.
  4. I've never come across anything like this before!  Where did you get it?
So now you can work out the meaning of come across.
Is it ...

  1. finding something / meeting someone by chance, or
  2. going to a place to get something or meet someone?
That's right.  The correct answer is number 1.

Grammar for "come across"

"come across" is a inseparable phrasal verb.
This means that you can say...

  • She came across your keys in the bathroom.
  • She came across them in the bathroom.

But, you CANNOT say ...

  • She came your keys across in the bathroom.
  • She came them across in the bathroom.

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Chat and Text Acronyms - BI5

back in 5

(be back in 5 minutes)







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Monday 30 January 2012

Tongue Twister - Peter Piper


Peter Piper picked a peck of pickled peppers.
A peck of pickled peppers Peter Piper picked.
If Peter Piper picked a peck of pickled peppers,
Where's the peck of pickled peppers Peter Piper picked?


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dressed to the nines



If someone is dressed to the nines then they are wearing very smart clothes.

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health

noun

  • condition of the body or mind
good health / poor health
to have one's health / to lose one's health
(also, healthiness)



adjective

healthy / unhealthy



adverb

healthily


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Abbreviations and Acronyms - BBIAS

be back in a second

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Wednesday 25 January 2012

Cambridge Exams for ESL Learners

From lowest level to highest level...

  1. Cambridge English Starters (YLE starters) - school children aged 7-12
  2. Cambridge English Movers (YLE movers) - school children aged 7-12
  3. Cambridge English Flyers (YLE flyers) - school children aged 7-12
  4. Cambridge English Key (KET) - basic level
  5. Cambridge English Preliminary (PET) - intermediate level
  6. Cambridge English First (FCE) - upper intermediate level
  7. Cambridge English Advanced (CAE) - advanced level
  8. Cambridge English Proficiency (CPE) - the most advanced exam

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perfidious

treacherous, deceitful,

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Tuesday 10 January 2012

Grammar - Phrasal Verbs

There are different types of phrasal verbs,
  1. transitive (separable)
  2. transitive (inseparable)
  3. intransitive (do not have an object.)
transitive - separable
  • Put your shoes away, please.  Put them away.
transitive - inseparable
  • There is a problem with the last inventory.  Management is looking into it.
intransitive
  • The alarm went off at 6:30am.

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Friday 6 January 2012

Roald Dahl - GOBBLEFUNK

Roald Dahl
WORLDS No. 1 STORYTELLER



Roald Dahl loved playing around with words and inventing new ones.  In The BFG he gave this strange language and even stranger name - Gobblefunk!

Here are some of the fabulous words that he invented with their definitions.

  • BLABBERSNITCHa creature that lives at the bottom of the sea
  • CRODSCOLLOPA mouth-watering flavour; for example, the taste of chocolate ice cream
  • BUGGLESmeans completely crazy
  • GOGGLER an eye
  • OOMPA-LOOMPAA very small person.  A tribe of them work in Willy Wonka´s fantastic chocolate factory.
  • HORNSWOGGLERA very dangerous creature.
  • PHIZZ-WHIZZINGMeans brilliant or really good!
  • SPLATCH-WINKLE: Splatch-winkling means rushing around; in a hurry
  • RINGBELLER:  The BFG´s word for an amazingly excellent dream; the complete opposite of a nightmare
  • SVOLLOP:  To svollop something means to destroy it.
  • TIME-TWIDDLER:  A time-twiddler is very special.  Time-twiddlers are immortal; they live forever and ever.
  • VERMICIOUS KNID:  Watch out!  These beasts are vicious killers who can fool you by changing shape.
  • WHOOPSY-SPLUNKERS:  Used to describe something absolutely marvellous.
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Roald Dahl - Esio Trot

Roald Dahl
THE WORLD'S No. 1 STORYTELLER



Mr Hoppy really loves his neighbour Mrs Silver, and Mrs Silver really loves her tortoise, Alfie.  One day Mrs Silver asks Mr Hoppy how to make Alfie grow, and suddenlyMr Hoppy knows the way to win her heart.  With the help of a magical spell and some cabbage leaves, can Mr Hoppy be happy at last?

Also available as an audio book!
Aged 8 and up.

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Thursday 5 January 2012

Listening Exercises


Listening is a very important part of learning a new language.  Without listening skills you will be unable to communicate with others efficiently.  Here are some sites that will help you, with various different levels and activities involving listening. 

Cyber Listening Lab for ESL Learners

Breaking News English

English Radio and Newspaper Links





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